Furnace plant



(No' Model.) ;sheensf'sheenm 1J. E. WELCH.

' PURNACBPLANT.

A4No. 486,310. intent-ed Nov'. 15,1892; l

' A fron/vers UNrrn 'rares JAMES H. WELCH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FU RNACE PLANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,310, dated November15, 189.2.

i Application led January 14, 1892. Serial No. 418,092. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

- Be it known that I, JAMES I-I. WELCH, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and ImprovedFurnace Plant, of which the followingisa full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to puddling and other furnaces heated by gas, butnot using the regenerative system.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved furnaceplant in which the waste heat of each individual furnace is utilized forthe purpose of heating the air necessary for combustion of the gases,effecting a great saving in the use of the-gas and at the same timeconsuming all smokeand doing away with the necessity of building a stackfor each individual furnace.

The invention consists of a conduit connected with asingle chimney andformed with a horizontal partition dividing the flue into two flues,located one above the other, the lower one conducting the waste gasesfrom the furnace to the chimney and the other affording a supply offresh-heated air for the several furnaces.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlargedsectional side elevation of one of the furnaces on the line 2 2 of Fig.

1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of part of the same on the line 3 3of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a transverse section of the same on the line 4 4.of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig.2, and Fig. 6 is an 'enlarged transverse section of the main conbranchilue D, extending upward and adapted to be connected by a valve E with agasflue F, forming part of the individual furnace G. From each gas-flueF extend upward at one end of the furnace G one or more iues F', openingat their upper ends upon the hearth H over the wall H', as is plainlyshown in'Fig. 2. The hearth H is of any approved construction, providedwith the usual inletopenings H2 and also formed opposite the wall H witha Wall H3, over which passes the waste gas to be led from the hearthI-I. Alongside the iues F' are arranged the flues I', separated from thesaid flues F' by suitable walls, the said lines I opening into thehearth I-I at the wall H', so as to readily mix with the incoming gasesto permit the latter to burn inA the hearth H, complete combustion being0btained by the incoming air through the flues I. The lower ends of thelatter connect with a duct I, extending under the hearth H andcontaining outside the latter a valve J for regulating the amount of airpassing to the hearth to be burned in conjunction with the gases passingup the flues F. The outer end of each duct I leads into a flue K,forming part of a main conduit L, built with an arch L', dividing theconduit into the said due K and into a second flue N, extending belowthe flue K. From the flue N leads a branch duct O to each individualfurnace, the end of the said duct being connected by a channel O withthe hearth H at the wall H3, so that the waste gas can pass from thehearth over the said Wall H3 into the channel O'andinto the duct O, topass iinallyinto the flue N of the main conduit L.

It will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 5 that the duct O extendsunder part of the duct I, and the latter also passes through the channelO', so that the waste gases from the hearth heat the saidvduct I in thechannel O' and also that part o'f the duct I extending Linder the ductO. The waste gases in passing along the flue N, located under the iiueK, again heat the air traveling along the said flue K, so that the wastegases are utilized to heat the incoming air used for combustion of thegases.

The main conduit L, as is plainly shown in Fig. 6, is formed in one sidewall with flues Q, the upper end of each of which is cou- IOO flue leadports Q3 into the flue K, so that the` incoming air, passing throughthe'flu'es-Q, QQ

and Q2, is heated by the outgoing waste gases, and thus receives apreheatingbefore entering the flue K, in which latter the waste gasesagain heat the air before it is drawn into the duct I to be burned onthe indi-Vid-` ual hearth H of each furnace. The end of the conduit L isconnected With-an apparatus R for enriching the waste gases which havebeen cooled, the apparatus being of `any approved `construction `andleading the :enriched` gases to boilers S` forfgenerating steam or forother "purposes, to be `burned therein, and' toinallyconnect with achimney which furnishes thenecessary draft for-thevarious furnacesG andthe'boilers'S. `Itlwill beseen thatalmost` every unitof heat `contained'in the vaste gasesris utilized z to 'heat th-efincominglairfnecessaryfornthe combustion `of the gases in each individual hearth. The `Wastegases thus become cooled before finally entering the enriching apparatusLR to permitof being re-enriched and utilizedfor furnishing thenecessary fuel forthe boilers generating steam 'necessary for .runningthe rollingfmill.

Ineach flue O is arranged ifa valve Ricontrolled from the outsideand-servingtomegulate'lthe i outflow of lthewaste. gases .from` thehearthH to the flue N of the mainconduit L. Thusby the use of this valveP the Aburning of :the fuel-:that is, the .gas andair-in .the

hearth H can be regulated to any `desired degree. Itwill beseen that bythis `'arrangement one single chimney furnishes the` necessary draftforthe various furnaces,enriehing devices, boilers, dro., arranged :in theplant,

aszsh'own `and described. It will ,further be seenl thatiby thisarrangement. the wastezgases from the furnace serve to heattherincomingair necessary Vfor combustion, `whereby thev waste .gases are .broughttoa state Whichlpermits of` enriching the gases as described. uIt is alsounderstood that in the enriching appaundergoes asecond combustion,.generating steam, or using itforother purposes.

`Having thus fully describedmy invention,`

lIclaimas new and desire to `secure by Letters Patent--` 1. lA furnaceplant comprisinga series of hearth-furnaces connected with ageneral gas--supply, an air-duct `for ,each of the said hearth-furnaces and leading`,to .the combus-` tion-chamber of the hearth .to supply theairnecessaryforthe combustion ofthe gas, `anda waste-gas duct for eachhearth-furnacerand extending under part of the corresponding.

`air-duct andformed `with a channel through `which passes the saidair-duct and which channel opens into the respective hearth at thedischarge side thereof, substantially as shown and described.

2. A furnace plant comprising a series of hearth-f u rnaces connectedwith a general gassupply, an air-duct for each of the saidhearthfurnaces and leading `to the combustionchalnber of the hearth tosupply the air nec- -essary for the combustion of the gas, a wastegasduct for each hearth-furnace and eXtcnding under part of thecorresponding air-duct `and formed with a channel through which passesthe air-duct and which channel opens into the respective `hearth at thedischarge side thereof, and a main conduit for the severalhearth-furnaces and `formed with an airiiue 4connected `with .the outerairfand `with each of `the said Vairducts and also :formed with awaste-gas `iue extending underfthe said airfiue andinto which lead `theyseveral waste-.gas ducts, `substantially` as shownvand described.

3. In afurnace plant, the combinationgwith a series of hearth-furnaces`'conn'ectedwith a generalxgasfsupply, of a main .conduitformed with `anarch toadividze the `conduit intotwo iues, `of `which one is LtheWaste-.gas `iliuefand the'other the air-'supply flue,the-saidwaste gas.iue extending .under 'the `air-supplyflue and connected with `achilnneyand with Wastegasvchannelsfrom `theasaid `hearth-furnaces, thesaid-air-supply` flue being connectedwith the several hearth-furnaces tosupply the "air necessary for ,the combustion of the sgae,-substantially` as shown and described.

4. Ina furnace plant, theicornbination,with afseries .ofheanthffurnacesconnected `with sa general` gasfsupply,.of a mainconduit'formed `with `an archtto .divide the i conduit: into two 1ues,ofwhich one .is i the waste-gasl iue .and the other the air-supply flue,xthe said wastegas` fiue extending `underthe h air-supply'tiue andconnected with achimneyand witlrwastegas l channels from the said`heanthvfurnaces, the said air-supply fluelbeiugconnectediwith the.several hearthfurnaces 4to supplythelair necessaryfor the combustionoffthe.:gas,fand `air-inlet channels arranged in thewsides andbottomf'of the said:conduitandtleadingtoith'e air-supply flue,`substantially as shown s and described.

T5. 'In a furnace plant,the `combination;with arseries of furnaces`connectedlwith ageneral .gas-supplyfof a main conduit havinrguanairsupply flue and `a wastefgas iuepbothwoonnected with the A-seriesnoffurnaces,rairinlet channels `arranged* inthe sides and bottom of theconduitand leadingto'theairfsupply flue, and a chimney 0r 4stachconnected with the wastefgas flue to furnish draftfor `the entireseries. of furnaces, substantiallyasshown and described.

:6. `A .furnace "plant "compri-sing 1.a 1 series` of h'e'arthffurnacesconnectedwith a1gas=supply, an airductfor each of the saidheartlnfurnaces and leading tothe `combustion-chaniber of thehearth tosupply the air necessary for IOO IIO

the combustion of the gas, a Waste-gas duct for each hearth-furnace andextending under part of the corresponding air-duct and formed with achannel through which passes the airduct, each channel openinginto thehearth at the discharge side thereof, and a main conduit for the severalhearth-furnaces and provided with an air-flue connected with the outerair and with each of the said air-ducts, awastegas liue extending underthe said airue and into Which lead the several Waste-gas ducts, and aValve arranged in each of the said waste-gas ducts to control the heatWithin each of the hearths, substantially as shown and described.

7. A furnace plant comprising a series of hearth-furnaces connected witha gas-supply, an air-duct for each of the said hearth-furnaces andleading to the combustion-chamber of the hearth to supply the airnecessary for the combustion of the gas, a Waste-gas duct for eachhearth-furnace and extending under part of the corresponding air-ductand formed with a channel through which passes the airduct, each channelopening into the hearth at the discharge side thereof, and a mainconduit for' the several hearth-furnaces and provided Witli an air-'flueconnected With the outer air and with each of the said air=ducts, aWastegas flue extending under the said air-liuc and into which lead theseveral Waste-gas ducts, and a Valve or gate arranged in each of thesaid air-ducts for controlling the supply of air to each hearth,substantially as shown and described.

8. In a furnace plant, the combination, with a series of furnaces, of amain conduit having an air-supply flue and a Waste-gas flue, bothconnected with a series of furnaces, air-inlet channels arranged in thesides and bottom of the said conduit and leading to the air-supply line,a chimney or stack connected with the Waste-gas ue to furnish draft forthe entire series of furnaces, and an enriching apparatus arranged inthe said main conduit between the chimney and the furnace next to it,substantially as shown and described.

JAMES H. WELCH.

Witnesses:

J H. CUNNINGHAM, J. H. GLONINGER.

